I'm really bad at math!

I have been failing math with an F ever since middle school. I pay attention in class and do the work, but nothing sinks in. I'm in tenth grade next year and I still don't know anything about times tables. Every time the teacher calls on me for a question, I never know the answer. But the teacher ends up waiting for about 5 minutes in dead silence until she calls on someone else. I feel so stupid and I worry about my future. How do I fix this?

Hey doll,

A bad grade is definitely a bummer. And now that you’re in high school, every grade matters if you plan on going to college. But don’t fret. With hard work and a positive attitude, you can turn things around and see great improvement in your grades. 

Start with Getting the Basics
Math is a subject that requires a lot of different skills that build upon each other. So if you’ve been failing math since middle school, chances are you should go over everything you didn’t understand back then. That way, you’ll better understand what you’re learning now.  Try reviewing any notes or worksheets from previous grades, if you have them.  If not, ask your mom or dad to purchase you practice booklets that covers a wide variety of math topics. Now that summer’s here, you’ll have plenty o’ time.

Practice Makes Perfect
In order to really get the skills you need to succeed in math, you have to practice them with different math problems.  Make sure that you do ALL of the class work and homework your teacher assigns. If you get a problem wrong, don’t get frustrated!  Go over the problem step by step and see what mistakes you made. That way, you’ll be able to avoid them in the future.

Use Your Resources
There are many people you can go to for help. Is there a summer session available at your high school? Walk into school one day over the summer and go speak with your guidance counselor. There may be teachers, or even students, on hand to give you tutoring services over break. If nothing at your school is available, ask your ‘rents if you can enroll in a summer program or get a private tutor to help you get your math grade up. Many schools/ community centers offer tutoring for free!
 
Good luck girlie!
Tyler J.
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7/1/2010 7:00:00 AM
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